Prof James Readman
BSc (Hons), PhD, FRSC, CChem, MSB, CBiol
Research Professor:
Biogeochemistry
Professor
Readman leads fundamental research into the composition/cycling of
organic material and the behaviour and impact of pollutants in
estuarine and coastal environments. His most recent research
relates to emerging contaminants and nanoparticles. He commenced
employment as an environmental research chemist in 1978 and has
since gained professional experience in academic, Governmental,
industrial contract research and United Nations laboratories.
From 1999 to 2001, he was Head of Pollution Research for the UK
Centre for Coastal & Marine Sciences. From 1996-1999, he was
Head of Biogeochemistry at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and prior
to that, for seven years was employed by the United Nations as Head
of the Organic Chemistry Unit at the International Atomic Energy
Agency - Marine Environment Laboratory based in the Principality of
Monaco.
Professor Readman has published over 100 refereed papers relating
to environmental science and analytical chemistry in scientific
journals (including Nature). These papers have, collectively, been
cited over 2200 times, and generate an h-index of 31. In addition
to these publications, he has written, compiled and edited numerous
technical reports.
Professor Readman has organised, chaired and participated in
numerous (approximately 150) International Symposia and United
Nations meetings and conferences on environmental pollution. During
recent years, he has provided expert comment on pollution issues
for the BBC and has appeared on the BBC News, international and
local television, a political comment programme and he has been
interviewed for several documentaries. He has also provided
interviews for the BBC radio, the BBC World Service, and BBC Europe
and aspects of his work have been reported in several national and
international newspapers.
Selected recent publications
- Guitart C,
Readman JW. 2010. Critical evaluation of the
determination of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, phenolic
endocrine disrupters and faecal steroids by GC/MS and PTV-GC/MS in
environmental waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 658,
32–40.
- Kadar E, Simmance F,
Martin O, Voulvoulis N, Widdicombe S, Mitov S, Lead JR,
Readman JW. 2010. The influence of engineered
Fe2O3 nanoparticles and soluble
(FeCl3) iron on the developmental toxicity caused by
CO2-induced seawater acidification. Environmental
Pollution, doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2010.03.025.
- Lewis C, Guitart C, Pook
C, Scarlett A, Readman JW, Galloway TS. 2010. An
integrated assessment of oil pollution using biological monitoring
and chemical fingerprinting. Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry, 29(6), 1358–1366.
- Parks R,
Donnier-Marechal M, Frickers PE, Turner A, Readman
JW. 2010. Antifouling biocides in discarded marine paint
particles. Marine Pollution Bulletin,
doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.03.022.
- Sumner NR, Guitart C,
Fuentes G, Readman JW. 2010. Inputs and
distributions of synthetic musk fragrances in an estuarine and
coastal environment; a case study. Environmental
Pollution, 158, 215–222.
- Bradford A, Handy R,
Readman JW, Atfield A, Mühling M. 2009. Impact of
silver nanoparticle contamination on the genetic diversity of
natural bacterial assemblages in estuarine sediments.
Environmental Science and Technology, 43(12),
4530–4536.
- Grover DP, Zhang ZL,
Readman JW, Zhou JL. 2009. A comparison of three
analytical techniques for the measurement of steroidal estrogens in
environmental water samples. Talanta, 78,
1204–1210.
- Lewis C, Beggah S, Pook
C, Guitart C, Redshaw C, Roelof van der Meer J, Readman
JW, Galloway, T.S. 2009. Novel use of a whole cell E. coli
bio-reporter as a urinary exposure biomarker. Environmental
Science and Technology, 43(2), 423–428.
- Moore MN, Readman JAJ,
Readman JW, Lowe DM, Frickers PE, Beesley A. 2009.
Carbon nanoparticle-induced lysosomal membrane injury in blood
cells of marine mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis): an
in vitro study. Nanotoxicology, 3(1),
40–45.
- Guitart C, Frickers P,
Horillo-Carballo J, Law RJ, Readman JW. 2008.
Characterisation of sea surface chemical contamination after
shipping accidents. Environmental Science and Technology,
42, 2275–2282. (Cover article).
- Hassellöv M,
Readman JW, Ranville JF, Tiede K. 2008.
Nanoparticle analysis and characterization methodologies in
environmental risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles.
Ecotoxicology, 17, 344–361.
- Schiedek D, Sundelin B, Readman
JW, Macdonald RW. 2007. Interactions between climate
change and contaminants. Marine Pollution Bulletin 54,
1845–1856.
- Aranami K, Readman JW.
2007. Photolytic degradation of triclosan in freshwater and
seawater. Chemosphere 66, 1052–1056.
Key research projects
- EU/Defra through the project “European
concerted action to foster prevention and best response to
Accidental marine Pollution – AMPERA” (6th Framework Program).
Implementation of risk assessment methodologies for oil and
chemical spills in the European marine environment
(2008–2011).
- NERC/Defra/EA Environmental Nanoscience
Initiative. An investigation into the effects of nanoparticles on
the bacterial diversity of freshwater and coastal marine sediments
(2008–2009).
- Defra consortium. EDCAT. Investigation
into the effects and behaviour of endocrine disrupters in the
environment. (2006–2009)
- NERC/Defra/EA Environmental Nanoscience
Initiative. Effects of C-60 fullerenes and carbon nano-tubes on
marine mussels (2007–2008)
- EU Marie Curie Fellowship. Dr Carlos
Guitart was employed to undertake an evaluation of the occurrence,
persistence and potential impact of pharmaceuticals and personal
care products (PPCPs) in transitional and coastal waters.
(2005–2007)
- European Environment Agency. Investigation
into antifouling booster biocide usage and legislation, including
current environmental levels. (2006–2007)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- Fellowship. An isotopic study of persistent organics. The
fellowship provided a Visting Senior Fellow (Dr Kazushi Aranami) to
undertake research (2005)
Committee memberships